Electrical anchor operating device



Jan. 27, 1970 E. G. FuiQR 3,491,713

' ELECTRICAL ANCHOR OPERATING DEVICE I Filed March 12, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EDWARD G. FURR ATTORNEY E. FuRh ELECTRICAL ANCHOR OPERATING DEVICE Jan. 27, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1968 INVBNTOR EDNA RD G. FURR BY W United States Patent ,0

3,491,713 ELECTRICAL ANCHOR OPERATING DEVICE Edward G. Furr, 3820 Kelly, Fort Smith, Ark. 72901 Filed Mar. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 712,513 Int. Cl. 1363]) 21/22; B66d 1/36 U.S. Cl. 114210 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The preferred embodiment employs a U-shaped frame for clamping to the gunwale or stem of the boat. The frame carries a rotatable drum and a pair of spacedapart pulleys, one inboard and the other outboard of the boat hull, between the drum and the anchor for guiding the anchor line. I

Brake means are provided for normally holding the drum against movement and electromagnetic solenoid means are provided to be energized over a switch from the battery to release the brake means, thereby permitting the anchor to drop, under its own weight.

A motor is coupled to the drum for raising the anchor and further switch means energizes the motor by way of solenoid or relay contacts. The brake is also released, with energization of its solenoid, when the motor is powered to permit the anchor to be raised. The switch means for effecting movement of the anchor may be located remotely in the boat. Also, a feature of themvention resides in the use of bales with the pulleys to maintain the anchor rope or line taughtly in the pulley groves.

The preferred embodiment is portable and can be quickly removed from the boat and transferred to another boat with ease.

The other embodiment employs the same operating principle, but the frame is in two parts. One is mounted on the interior of the boat hull and the other on the exterior of the hull, with each frame part carrying one of the pulleys and the anchor line passing through the hull, such that the operating mechanism can be deployed beneath a deck or the like.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive electrically operated anchor handling apparatus with drum means for preventing the anchor rope from becoming tangled, and with a principle of operation suitable for both gunwale or stem deployment or through-hull use.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus with electrical circuitry wherein up and down switching is employed with the down switch serving merely to energize brake release means and the up switch serving to energize the motor to raise the anchor, the

3,491,713 Patented Jan. 27, 1970 ICC? down switch being also energized for simultaneous operation to release the brake means while the anchor is being raised.

A further object of the invention is such apparatus and circuitry for use with existing boat batteries and which is readily electrically and mechanically disconnectible from a boat for transfer or portability.

With the aforementioned objects in mind, the invention will next be explained, in detail, in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view inside elevation of the invention applied to a boat hull,

FIGURE 2 is a view in front end elevation of the structure of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a view, partly in section, and partly in elevation, of a modification of the invention applied to a boat for through-hull use,

FIGURE 4 is a circuit diagram showing one arrangement for operating the apparatus, and

FIGURE 5 is an alternative circuit diagram for electrical control.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, the main supporting frame is shown at 11. In the preferred arrangement, frame 11 is channel or U- shaped, as is best seen in FIGURE 2, and is preferably constructed of, for example, one-eighth inch steel plate.

A drum 13 is rotatably carried by the frame 11. It includes a spool or reel 15 (FIGURE 2) carried by an axle shaft 17, in turn carried by or journaled in frame 11. The purpose of drum 13 isto control the anchor line or rope 19 Without its becoming entangled with paraphanalia in the bottom of the boat. The drum 13 includes a flange 21 and a disk or plate 23 opposed thereto and provided with a V rim 25 to receive V belt 27 (FIGURE 1) driven by electric motor 29 via drive pulley 31.

A brake, shown in the form of arm 33, pivotal about pin 35, is provided normally to maintain pressure against drum 13 and/or belt 27, via friction shoe 37, due to the urging of coil spring 41. A solenoid 43 is used to release brake 33 via movable core or rod 45, thereby permitting the anchor line or rope 19 to be moved upwardly over inboard pulley 51, transversely across the boat gunwale or stem 53, because of transverse spacer member carried by frame 11, and around outboard pulley 57, and via aperture 59 in frame-carried bumper plate 61, to permit automatic lowering of anchor 63 due to the force of gravity.

It should be noted that the anchor line is retained taut between pulleys 51 and 57 and held within their respective grooves by bales 67 and 69, resiliently biased inwardly by springs 71 and 73.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, it may be seen that frame 11 also carries a four-way plug-in receptacle 81, a heavier two-wire receptacle 83 for input power, and a relay or solenoid switch 85. The up and down push buttons are attached to the receptacle 81 and they maybe remotely disposed by long leads to any location in the boat.

The electrical control of the operation will be best seen from a consideration of FIGURE 4, wherein the source of power is shown as the boat battery 101, usually of the l2-volt variety, and it may or may not be connected to a motor-driven generator. In any event, the present invention ofiers the advantage that there is little or low power drain in hoisting anchors of even up to 20 pounds while using a fractional horsepower motor, such as 29 to provide the driving force.

It will be appreciated that much heavier anchors can be handled, still using fractional drive motors, but with suitable gearing between the motor and the drum 13. However, in the interest of inexpensiveness, the V belt drive serves very eificiently to handle anchors of -20 pounds, wherein the motor driven pulley 31 is approximately one inch in diameter, the V belt rim 25 is approximately ten inches in diameter, and spool is three inches in diameter. These figures are given by way of example only, for the principle is applicable to much broader ranges.

In FIGURE 4, the input power is applied over connector plug 103 to mating receptacle 83, also shown in FIG- URE 1. The negative lead 105 (FIGURE 4) is grounded over lead 107, and the positive lead 109 is eifective through plug 103 and receptacle 83 to serve as the positive lead 111 for the operating elements.

The motor 29 is connected between the positive lead 111 and is grounded by way of contacts 113. Contacts 113 are adapted to be closed through energization of relay or solenoid coil 115. The coil 115 is adapted to be grounded over lead 117 by closing of up switch 119. Thus, it may be seen that closure of switch 119, with its plug 121 in operative relation with receptacle 81, grounds coil 115 to close contacts 113 and energize motor 29 for hoisting the anchor, so long as the up push button 119 is depressed. I

The plus lead 111 is also extended via the other side of receptacle 81 to solenoid coil 43, which is provided to release brake arm 33 relative to pivot point 35. Closure of down push button 123 applies plus voltage from lead 111 to coil 43 to release the brake and permit the anchor to drop due to gravity forces. Thus, it will be seen that for raising the anchor, both the up push button 119 and the down push button 123 should simultaneously be depressed to energize motor 29 and to release brake 33.

In the alternative in the electrical control circuit of FIGURE 5, there is provided a different electrical wiring diagram, operative to control the device of the present invention, while utilizing the basic principle herein de scribed. The battery 101 is connected to plug 103 and thence to receptacle 83, in turn grounded over lead 107, with lead 111 being positive. Again, solenoid or relay coil 115 when energized closes contacts 113, to power motor 29.

However, receptacle 81' now employs only three terminals, rather than four, and it will also be noted that brake release coil 43 is supplied with positive voltage directly from lead 111 over lead 131.

In operation for lowering the anchor, it is only necessary to depress down button 123". This connects lead 111' with ground by way of lead 135 to energize coil 43 and release brake 33.

For raising the anchor, the up button 119' is depressed, to close lead 111 to common ground 140 to energize coil 115, closing contacts 113 and powering motor 29. However, at the same time, 'lead 135 is grounded and leads 111" thereby energize coil 43 to release brake 33, thus effecting the simultaneous operation, for raising the anchor.

In the through hull model of FIGURE 3, the frame is now comprised of two parts 211 and 211', atfixed respectively to the inside and outside of hull 153 and carrying pulleys 167 and 157.

Anchor line 119 passes from spool or reel 115 having the same type flanges 121 and 123 and shaft 117' heretofore described, through the hull and via bumper plate 161 to outboard such as 163. Deck 153 is usually a forward deck, but may be the center or rear deck. Alternatively, of course, the apparatus need not be located under a deck.

Either of the electrical controls of FIGURES 4 and 5 will operate the apparatus of FIGURE 3.

It should also be mentioned that in either of the apparatus embodiments of FIGURES 1 and 3, the anchor 63 or 163 should be tightly secured against the bumper plate, seated in checks or brought into the boat as it is possible for a loose anchor to puncture a lightly constructed boat, such as one of plywood, under adverse weather or wave conditions.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric anchor operating device for connection with the hull of a boat at a location including any of the bow, stern, and gunwale for handling anchor line comprising in combination frame means for direct attachment to the hull of the boat, drum means rotatably supported inboard of the hull by the frame means for winding and unwinding anchor line, a pair of pulleys carried by the frame means in spaced apart relation being respectively disposed outboard and inboard of the boat hull and adapted to guide the anchor line between the anchor and the drum means, brake means including a brake shoe pivotally attached to th frame means and effective at the drum means to hold it against rot tion and to stop it abruptly when it is rotating, spring means carried by the frame means for normally rendering the brake means operative by pressing the shoe against the drum means to prevent line from passing ofi of the drum means, a motor mounted on the frame means and connected to drive the drum means, electrical circuit for energizing th motor from a battery or the like, electrically operating solenoid means carried by the frame means for releasing the brake means by drawing the shoe away from the drum means, switch means for connecting the electrically operating solenoid means to the electrical circuit means and for closing a circuit to the motor from said electrical circuit, and further switch means for operating the solenoid means only to energize the solenoid means from the electrical circuit and release the brake means.

2. The electric anchor operating device of claim 1 wherein said frame means is U-shaped and carries a transversely extending member on top thereof for mounting said pulleys in the spaced apart relation.

3. The electric anchor operating device of claim 2 further comprising U-shaped bales carried respectively by the frame means adjacent each of said pulleys; and springs connected between the frame means and the bales to urge the bales downwardly against the anchor line and the anchor line generally inwardly of the lower edges of the pulleys thereby tucking the anchor line into the pulleys and retaining the anchor line tautly on the pulleys.

4. The electric anchor operating device of claim 1 wherein said frame means comprises an inboard member and an outboard member adapted to be fixed in opposed relation to the hull, said anchor line extending from the inboard pulley to the outboard pulley via a passageway through the hull.

5. The electric anchor operating device of claim 1 wherein the means for closing the circuit to the motor means comprises relay means having contacts connected in series with the motor means across the battery, and actuating coil means connected in series with the further switch means, the actuating coil means and further switch means being connected in series across the battery.

6. The electric anchor operating device of claim 1 wherein said electrical circuit includes a connector, a further connector adapted to mate with said first connector and extend the circuit to said motor, and electrically operating solenoid means via the switch means and further switch means.

7. The electric anchor operating device of claim 1 wherein said switch means and further switch means 5 comprise up and down switches, said up switch being connected in series with a portion of the means for closing the circuit to the motor to energize said portion, in turn causing the motor to b electrically operated, and said down switch being connected in series with the electrically operating solenoid means across the battery for releasing the brake means, the simultaneous operation of both up and down switches releasing the brake means and operating the motor to raise the anchor, with operation of only the down switch serving to release the brake means and permit the anchor to be lowered by gravity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRYGVE M. BLI'X, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

